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01-22-2012, 10:10 AM | #1 |
No Longer a Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Irvine Ca USA
Posts: 1,285
| Would love some agility input please :) Hi everyone! Lilo's getting older and learning new things everyday but at the same time I am growing more and more fascinated with training her in agility and to be a therapy dog. When I last posted we were stuck on rollover and leave it. After we jumped that wall Lilo has learned a variety of new tricks including jumping through hoop and counting. We are already signed up for a CGC class and our instructor said we should easily pass it and then move onto therapy training. Lilo is almost 6 months now and we have a lot of time in between taking our CGC and therapy dog tests. We know we can't technically start ability classes yet until she is a year. So in the meantime I went out yesterday and purchased a 6 foot long tunnel, some cones, and a small box ( to use as a pause box) and she ran through perfectly without hesitation. We added in her hulahoop and crafted two really small jumps and she did great. I love my fearless little dog but I know Lilos not suppose to do too many jumps since her muscles are still developing. Were both really excited to at least do some more ground work and will coninue practicing our weaving through the cones faster. Lilo got to try my friends ramp and ran straight onto it and off the other end so I know we won't have a problem there. I am totally inspired by alaskayorkie's jillie and Eddie and Britsters Jackson, especially after watching their videos and seeing how well they did with their babies. I just want Lilo to learn as much as possible and continue to grow that connection with her. What else can we do to prepare on our own for agility? Any suggestions? |
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02-19-2012, 03:56 AM | #2 |
YT 2000 Club Donating Member | Ok go easy on building speed for the weaves. It is hard on their joints and you want those growth plates to close! Over all conditioning and strength training is a very good thing to work on right now. Sit/beg/stand/wave is an excellent builder of back muscles. You start the training with the sit to beg. First on firm no slippery surfaces. Try to have your dog be able to be in the beg position for 15 seconds. Then train to stand fully upright on hind legs - again build up to a hold of 15 seconds - then back to the beg position. Use a series of small pipes cut into 2.5 or 3ft lengths. Have about a dozen or so. First you lay them out on ground - spaced at regular and even intervals. Have your dog walk through - she can be on the leash for this - you just walk at her side. No reward if she doesn't go the whole distance. If she goes off to the side - take her back to the beginning and start over. Once this has been learnt - now space the pipes irregularly. Different distances, slanted - etc. Repeat the walk through. Use a walk pace until she shows she has mastered this task. *This exercise teaches the pup to look - to watch where they are going. It builds up the all important posture muscles - and exercises her brain. Make up a wobble board - Have her stand on this board . It will help to teach her to balance - and is a good introd to the teeter totter. When walking her, use the surrounding environment in novel ways. High curbs? Get her to walk ontop of the curb. Park benches - or a log Have her walk over different surfaces. Gravel/sand, stoney beach, wire mesh on ground - picket fence laid flat. Building chest muscles" A simple exercise is to have her put her two front paws on a low stool. Build up to her staying in this position for 2 minutes. The crawl : another great builder. This is where your dog crawls along the floor. Back up - or heeling backwards. Going backwards for humans and dogs alike, is just not a natural activity. Builds trust in you and strengthens their rear muscles. Hill walking : super exercise for strength - Note at this point just go up hill. Go down hill on gradual gradient - or with a Yorkie - you can cuddle her all the way down ....lol Shake a paw and or clap paw to your hand. If done standing dog must balance on three legs. Enjoy and have fun with your girl!
__________________ Razzle and Dara. Our clan. RIP Karma Dec 24th 2004-July 14 2013 RIP Zoey Jun9 th 2008-May 12 2012. RIP Magic,Mar 26 2006July 1st 2018 |
02-19-2012, 12:07 PM | #3 |
No Longer a Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Irvine Ca USA
Posts: 1,285
| This is perfect! thanks gemy! i will right up a list and get working on it. |
02-27-2012, 01:08 PM | #4 |
YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Winnipeg, MB, Canada
Posts: 1,795
| I would look into some different trainers in the area, I know the trainer I work with allows young dogs in agility classes; however, modifies the jumps to be poles instead do the dog learns the concepts but doesn't exert themselves to hurt themselves. I also recommend using a 2x2 method of weaves. Susan Garret has great information on how to do this. It slowly introduces the concept of weaves so as to not put too much strain on joints. There are many great exercises and flat things you can be working on with a pup, such as circle work, start by having your pup work in a circle around a pylon, as your pup gets better at staying at your side, make the circle bigger (so you're between the pylon and the pup). Harley and I started our first life skills class around a year then moved immediately into the agility classes, we just didn't put height to the jumps until he was old enough. We actually did our first fun match yesterday and did awesome! Another great thing you can do is nose targets, you teach them to touch your hand with their nose and eventually a target (we use a container cover) then you start putting these targets on the ground, and it starts teaching them to touch contact zones with their noses so as to not miss the contact zone when running on a dog walk or a frame.
__________________ Kendra Harley, you were the light in my life, rest peacefully my love! |
03-16-2012, 10:58 AM | #5 |
YT 2000 Club Donating Member | How is it going Max? Just thought I 'd drop by to see what kind of training fun you are having
__________________ Razzle and Dara. Our clan. RIP Karma Dec 24th 2004-July 14 2013 RIP Zoey Jun9 th 2008-May 12 2012. RIP Magic,Mar 26 2006July 1st 2018 |
05-10-2012, 11:19 AM | #6 |
Yorkie Yakker Join Date: May 2012 Location: plymouth England
Posts: 71
| Can anybody tell me how much play time my puppy should have [he,s 4 months]and how long should I be able to leave him.He,s awake most of the day,playing. |
05-11-2012, 11:27 AM | #7 | |
Donating YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Ohio
Posts: 7,946
| Quote:
Milomarch, a pup usually stops when tired, of course if you are throwing a ball you have to watch not to overdue especially in this heat. As far as how long to leave him is hard to say since this is the time if you are going to have luck potty training, you have to get him out at certain intervals. If you are pee pad training and he is doing fine, you could probably leave him a little longer. If you are working possibly you could have someone come in half way through the day and let him out but as I remember a four month old usually needs to get out every couple hours. They are all different though so keep track of how long he can go and work from there. Remember after eating comes poo!!
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